WND EXCLUSIVE

Obama uses sequestration threats for fundraising

Email warns: 'It's a sledgehammer to the budget ... and millions of Americans'

Published: 02/28/2013 at 2:41 PM

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By Garth Kant

In a campaign that appears to come from former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s playbook of “never allowing a crisis to go to waste,” President Obama’s “Organizing for America” is using the president’s dire warnings of the consequences of the sequester to raise money.

A new fundraising email asks for donations in the face of massive layoffs, a greater risk of terrorism and the loss of police, firefighters and food for seniors, women and families.

“On the chopping block are 10,000 teaching jobs, more than 70,000 kids’ spots in Head Start, $35 million for local fire departments, $43 million to make sure seniors don’t go hungry, and access to nutrition assistance for 600,000 women and their families. That’s just a few of the things we’ll lose,” the email says.

It ends with a pitch for money.

“Let’s finish what we started. Chip in $25 or more to Organizing for Action, the grassroots movement that will get the job done.”

The president also threatens “hundreds of thousands of jobs, are currently in jeopardy because of politics in Washington.”

Attorney General Eric Holder has upped the ante, warning the country will be in greater danger of crime and terrorist attacks.

He told ABC News: “If you don’t have prosecutors and agents doing what we expect them to do, and we won’t if this thing actually takes place, we are going to be a nation that is going to be less safe. And that is simple fact.”

The email from Organizing for America has the solution. Raise taxes. Target the rich, again. It blames Republican lawmakers for not giving in to the president’s demand for a tax increase.

“So far, congressional Republicans are refusing to compromise – all because they don’t want to close tax loopholes for millionaires, billionaires, vacation homes, and corporate jets.”

Taxes are the sticking point because, at first, Obama didn’t include a tax increase in the sequestration deal made with Republicans.